The Real Superpower isn’t Being Right, it’s Being Curious
Aug 20, 2025
Why Curiosity Is a Superpower in Leadership
Curiosity is the leadership skill most people overlook. It often takes a back seat to certainty and gets labeled as a “soft skill,” as if it’s easy or obvious.
But in reality, curiosity is anything but soft—it’s a superpower for courageous leaders.
When challenges arise, most of us instinctively reach for certainty. Our ego steps in, pushing us to prove we’re right, defend our position, or disengage entirely.
But here’s the truth: in difficult conversations, being right rarely creates growth.
Being curious does.
From Knower to Learner
I call curiosity the lifeblood of productive dialogue.
When we approach conversations as “knowers,” we carry a fixed mindset: I’m right. I need to convince them. That rigidity closes us off, leaving little room for growth or understanding.
But when we shift into the role of the learner, something powerful happens. We become open, exploratory, and engaged. We stop trying to control the conversation and instead invite connection.
That’s where true leadership begins.
A Story of Transformation
One of my clients, Logan, learned this lesson the hard way during a heated conversation about safety work policies. He arrived armed with statistics and a “must-win” mindset. The more he pushed, the more his colleague resisted.
In that moment, Logan remembered his coaching practice: pause, breathe, and ask instead of argue.
He looked at his colleague and asked: “What are you most worried about if we implement this policy?”
Everything shifted. Instead of defending her stance, Logan's colleague opened up about her concerns around implementing cumbersome safety protocols. Within minutes, they moved from adversaries to collaborators.
Curiosity—not certainty—created the breakthrough.
The Courage to Say, “I Don’t Know”
Curiosity takes courage. It requires humility to say, “I might be missing something.” It requires presence to truly listen without preparing your rebuttal.
When you lead with curiosity, you create safety. Safety for your team, your clients, even your family. Safety to share honestly, think creatively, and solve problems together.
One executive client, Racheal, feared curiosity would make her look weak. But once she started asking questions before offering her solutions, her team leaned in.
They spoke up more, offered better ideas, and took ownership of results.
Her authority didn’t shrink—it expanded.
The Questions That Change Everything
When emotions run high, that’s your cue: get curious.
Here are four powerful areas to explore (I call them CADS):
Concerns – “What concerns are you holding that I might not be seeing?”
Authority – “What power dynamics might be influencing this issue?”
Desires – “What do you want to accomplish with this decision?”
Standards – “What values or ethics are guiding your position?”
When you explore CADS, you reveal the real drivers of conflict.
This creates space for empathy, clarity, and collaboration.
The Ripple Effect of Curiosity
When you choose curiosity over certainty, you do more than shift a single conversation—you transform culture.
In teams, curiosity moves meetings from defensive stand-offs to problem-solving breakthroughs.
In relationships, curiosity replaces arguments with deeper understanding.
In organizations, curiosity unlocks innovation and fuels trust.
A CEO I worked with made one small change: he replaced “What are your results?” with “What are you learning?” in his one-on-ones.
That subtle shift gave his people permission to experiment, fail fast, and innovate boldly.
That’s the ripple effect of leading with curiosity.
Final Insights
Curiosity isn’t weakness—it’s wisdom. It isn’t soft—it’s strong.
When you trade the arrogance of “knowing” for the humility of learning, you unlock connection, creativity, and influence that certainty could never deliver.
Curiosity changes conversations. And conversations change everything.